Duke Power Plant Faces Obstacles

Plant Planned In Iw Will Be Scrutinized

ISLE OF WIGHT — Energy companies have plans to build about 20 new power plants throughout Virginia, meaning the state will handle a barrage of permits and applications over the next few years.

But the proposed Duke Energy North America plant near Windsor stands out. It would be the only new plant fired with coal rather than natural gas, said State Corporation Commission spokesman Ken Schrad.

Gas and coal plants face the same permitting process, but coal burning emits both nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide, which are linked to acid rain, ozone creation and breathing problems. Coal gets more scrutiny as a contributor to air quality problems because natural gas burning does not emit sulfur dioxide.

"The more pollution they emit, the more you're going to look at how to best mitigate that pollution," said Jeff Gleason, a Southern Environmental Law Center lawyer who follows power plant construction.

Windsor Town Council member Ken Johnson said he thinks the plan to burn coal has caused some anxiety. The plant would be just outside town limits, but town residents will likely follow its progress closely.

"There's some concern with what's going to be in the air," Johnson said. "But we don't have enough information at this time -- and I don't think there's any more (Duke) can tell us right now -- to have any answers. I'm determined to keep an open mind."

Windsor and Isle of Wight residents who want to voice their opinion will have numerous opportunities. Duke needs three major air quality permits, local zoning approval, a permit to use water in the cooling process and an agreement to use Dominion Power's transmission lines, to name only a few regulatory obstacles.

Duke needs about 48 major and minor permits, said Kate Perez, a company spokeswoman.

Here are some of the plant's major hurdles:

* Local land use: The 1,600-acre Norfolk Southern property Duke wants to build on is zoned for industrial use, but not specifically for a power plant, and it needs special permission from Isle of Wight County to build there. Isle of Wight economic development director Patrick Small said the county could get a land-use application in as soon as 30 to 45 days.

* Air quality permits: Duke needs three major permits from the state Department of Environmental Quality. One requires Duke to use the best available emission technology. The other two deal with regulating the amount of emissions, such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and lead. The permits that deal with emissions relate to federal standards, but the state oversees them.

* Water use: Duke wants to negotiate with the Hampton Roads Sanitation District to use "reclaimed water" in its cooling process. Reclaimed water is treated wastewater, also known as recycled water. The plant would need 15 million gallons a day. Discussions haven't started in earnest yet, and Duke would also eventually need a state permit for the water use.

Jane Workman, a state air permit manager, said people who want to comment on the plant should get involved as soon as possible. Workman said she's seen too many situations where people don't voice their opinion until it's too late.

"I can't stress that enough."

Patrick Lynch can be reached at 357-4138 or by e-mail at plynch@dailypress.com